Lingaraj Temple Bhubaneswar,Darshan Information

Located in Bhubaneswar, Orissa, Lingaraj Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, also known as 'Lingaraj'. The temple also enshrines Lord Vishnu, in the form of Saligramam idol. It is the largest temple in Bhubaneswar. It is believed that the temple is built by the kings from the Somavamsi dynasty, with later additions from the Ganga rulers. Lingaraja temple is maintained by the Temple Trust Board and the Archaeological Survey of India.

Location Odisha, Khurda, Bhubaneswar

Legend

Once, Lord Shiva told Mata Parvati that Bhubaneswar or the Ekamra Thirtha was a more favorable place for Him over Varanasi. The worried Devi took a guise of a cowherd woman and came to the city to find out why the Lord revealed such a truth. During this time two demons Kritti and Vasa desired to marry Her and to teach them a lesson, Mata Adi Shakti asked the demons to carry Her on their shoulder. When the demons did that She crushed them. The Lord came to receive her and to diminish her thirst, He created the Bindu Saras lake and consecrated Himself as Lingaraja or Krittivasas.

Architecture

The Lingaraj Temple is the tallest temple in Bhubaneswar. The magnificent temple of Lord Shiva is the ideal design of the Kalinga architecture. The 55 meters high temple is surrounded with verdant landscape and dominates over more than 150 smaller shrines. Inside the main sanctum sanctorum, the Swayambhu Linga is consecrated and offered. Here the Shiva Linga is seated along with Shalgram idols of Shree Vishnu and the consort Devi Bhubaneshwari.

Culture

Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha is famous for its thousand-year-old cultural legacy. The city once housed more than 7,000 shrines built in the last 2000 years. The Lingaraj Temple, Jaleshwar temple, Paschimesvara etc are some of the century old temples of Bhubaneswar. Today the city is balancing the responsibility of enshrining the old heritage shrines as well as giving space to the modern cultural aspects. The city is now an important tech hub of the East.

Bhubaneswar is the perfect example of the Indo-Aryan culture, at the same time the place has also accredited the existence of the Adivasis (natives) alongside. Their art, architecture and handicrafts project the enthusiasm the people have towards creative art and some of the Kala are century old.

The Odissi Dance is one of the finest classical dances in India. Though, it belongs to the Northern India's Hindustani Classical music, but still the dance and the music associated with it is exclusive par excellence.

Visitors to Bhubaneswar can explore the State Museum in Bhubaneswar that enshrines the reminiscences of the valorous past of Kalinga (the ancient name of Odisha).

Darsan Info

Open to visitors from 5 AM to 9 PM- Regular

Darsan Dresscode

No dress code

Temple Rituals

Vala Ballava or Bala Dhupa, Sakala Dhupa, Bhoga- Mandapa Dhupa or Chatrabhoga Virakisore Ballava, Dvipahara Dhupa or Madhyahna Dhupa, Teraphita, Sandhya Dhupa, Bada Singhara